Halfway through this series against Boston, the Yanks suddenly have more pressing issues. With an opportunity to distance themselves in the standings and inject familiar cursed doubt into Red Sox Nation, the Yanks have instead re-opened questions about just how good they are.

Because Boston has jumped the All-Star festivities by a week by playing home run derby at the Stadium. Because David Wells and Roger Clemens sure acted like 40-year-old starters the past two days, a big concern with half a schedule left. Because despite the historic precedent in the rivalry, the Red Sox haven’t yet rolled over and played Mets, uh, dead for the Yanks. Because yesterday in a 10-2 loss that made it Boston 20, New York 5 for the first two games, the Yanks unleashed more of their defensive follies.

But not to be overlooked is the deficiency of the Yankee offense. Yesterday, they allowed Ramiro Mendoza, who had a 6.81 ERA and the disdain of New England, to come off the DL and maneuver through five scoreless innings.

Before and after both Red Sox routs, Joe Torre stuck to his mantra that his team will go only as far as its pitching and “pitching has to set the tone, to send a message to our offense that whatever you get me is going to be good enough.” And it would help the Yankee psyche if Andy Pettitte and Mike Mussina stalled a Red Sox attack more diverse, deep and deadly than that of the Yanks.

Still, the Yanks need more consistent production. Despite residing among the AL top three in runs, on-base percentage and slugging – and perhaps ranking first in big-name reputation – the Yanks have displayed a disturbing great-or-terrible streakiness.

And limiting them from adding to their major league-leading walk total often moves the Yanks toward terrible. Restricted to six walks, the Yanks have just eight runs during a current three-game losing streak. Without the walk weapon, the Yanks become more homer-dependent, with six of eight runs during this stretch coming via homers, including both runs yesterday.

Plus they also show their inability to string clutch hits. In this three-game stretch, the Yanks are 4-for-28 with men in scoring position, 1-for-16 against Boston, including 0-for-their- last-15. Raul Mondesi and Robin Ventura, in particular, have hurt the Yanks in this area, though Torre said he has no plans to bench either, in part, because they are the best defenders on a poor defensive team.

Mondesi will miss a few days (strained hip flexor). With Bernie Williams returning and Karim Garcia and Ruben Sierra defying low expectations and producing, Torre does have options for Mondesi, who has exhibited why he is the active player with the most career homers (254) never to drive in 100 runs. Despite more than 5,000 at-bats, Mondesi still reacts as if each slider from a righty is the first he has seen, especially when pressing in RBI spots (.165 with runners in scoring position).

As for Ventura, he seems the slow-batted player who so disappointed the Mets in 2000- 2001. He has just 18 hits and one homer in 101 at-bats since May 30, and belying his grand-slam acumen, he is just 1-for-10 with the bases loaded. A week shy of his 36th birthday, Ventura said he is not done and his manager concurred. What can they say? In Enrique Wilson and Todd Zeile, the Yanks do not have an adequate replacement. Drew Henson’s inability to become a baseball player really hurts now, and so does the likelihood Florida has pulled the potential best third baseman available, Mike Lowell, off the market.

Ventura made four outs on just two pitches in his first two at-bats against Mendoza, bouncing into consecutive, first-pitch, 4-6-3 double plays that were symbolic of the Yanks’ clutch outage. Maybe the return of Williams and, ultimately, Nick Johnson will provide a cure. Or maybe, despite aggravating competitors with all the money they spend and names they accumulate, the Yanks still are not offensive enough.